Prodigal children

Carol had been roaming around the outer portion of her office when a vampire approached her. She watched him as he approached. He was an older vampire, older than the crowd she usually sees in the Domicile, but she only knew that because she remembered him vaugely from before.

He said, "If you would be so kind,please let Ellis know that Mathias has returned from his..sabbatical?"

Carol's eyes narrowed and she clucked her tongue several times. 'I want to say...Mathas? No. Mathias?' She nodded. 'You left the week I started here. I remember you.' The little familiar's eyes looked at him up and down. Again she nodded. 'Yeah...I remember you.' Then suddenly in a loud happy voice, 'What the fuck? Where have you been? Give me a hug!'

'What the fuck? Where have you been? Give me a hug!'
Her exuberance took him aback some, he wasn't normally a "hugger". However, it would be rude to not respond-Mathias gave..Carol,that was her name..a gentle hug.

" I have been traveling some,doing research on early Christian cults. However,one can only do so much scholarly work it becomes boring."

Carol nodded with a bright smile. 'That sounds fabulous.' She leaned over the desk and used her monitor to call up Ellis whereabouts. 'The Mistress will be happy to have you back.' She punched a few buttons on the computer console and then reached up to the wireless headphone set in her right ear.

'Mistress, Mathias has returned and requests an audience with you.' Playing with her honey blonde hair, she nodded. 'Very well.'

Looking back at Mathias she smiled. 'She said to escort you to your apartment and she will join you there shortly.' It wasn't a request but Carol knew that Mathias would know that. 'Your Domicile quarters are still available to you, would you like an escort or do you remember the way?'

"The path is well remembered,and yet Ellis was specific in saying to escort me. I would not wish you to get into trouble. Your company would be an honor"

Mathias stood to the side to allow Carol to pass and show him the way.

Carol walked with a deliberate sway as she walked to the elevator to show Mathias his quarters. 'What a cutie' she thought to herself. As they approached the elevator doors, she pointed at the computer panel next to the steel doors.

Hooking a thumb at it, she leaned against the wall next to the panel and smiled. 'Hand on the panel and it'll update the database with your new information. You'll feel a pin prick as it samples your blood to compare it to the database.' She winked at him and waited.

Mathias watched Carol sway with an appreciative smile as they headed down the hall.
Reassuring to know I can appreciate somethings,even after being locked in a castle for 3 years,He thought

Putting his hand on the pad he chuckled "The facade remains constant,only the soul within changes"

"Sorry,being stuck with monks and scholars has affected my conversation skills"

He awaited the analysis of his blood

Carol waited as it pulled up his info and opened the elevator door. Pushing off the wall with her hips first, she walked in.

'Not sure if you were here for this, but we've had voice commands installed when we upgraded all the technology in the Domicile. Just speak your destination.' Carol waved Mathias in and urged him to command the elevator.

"No,this is new"
He stepped in and once Carol stepped in,spoke.

"Mathias' apartment please"

Mathias leaned against the wall of the elevator as it began to hum..looking but not staring at Carol.

"So,what else has changed since I was here last?"

She let out a long sigh and gave his question some thought. 'Not much really. Same ole, same ole.' She turned to face him, leaning her shoulder against the elevator wall. 'What about you, any new tricks?' Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

He's a cutie, Carol thought to herself. There were a lot of old vampires returning to the Domicile in the recent weeks. Wondered if something wasn't about to happen. An instinctive thing for the coven to return to it's home. Or some nonsense like that. Carol's place in life was focused pretty much on one thing.

Ellis Duban.

That was plenty.

Mathias didn't need his nehanced perceptions to notice Carol was either holding something back or not telling him everything.

Best not to press the issue. You may be overthinking again,old man...or Ellis will fill you in as necessary

"What about you,any new tricks?"

Mathias thought for a moment - his time away had been one of isolation and contemplation..not honing his edge.

"Hmm..beyond learning a few new curses in Romanian,I can't say I've picked anything up. Sad really - Brasov is such a nexus of possibilities."

He chuckled at that - the town near the monastery could be called many things,but a nexus was not one of them. Mathias thught the black and white TV he bought them before he left was the height of technology for the area.

the elevator dinged and opened on the appropraite floor. Once again he allowed Carol to go ahead of him.
"Ladies first"

Carol clasped her hands in front of her and walked down the hallway to Mathias ' quarters. She passed 3 doors and then stopped in front of a rather plain looking steel door. Like a 'Price is Right' girl, she held a hand up and smiled.

'Here ya go.' Again she pointed to the computer panel on the door and added, 'If you need anything else, just let me know. Ellis should be around shortly.'

Carol decided to hang around to see if Mathias needed anything else. She looked him up and down again. She thought to herself, 'I wonder if being good looking is a requirement for being a vampire? If so, IM SO IN!' She giggled to herself.

'If you need anything else, just let me know. Ellis should be around shortly.'

For a moment Mathias was tempted to suggest something more..carnal,but quickly squashed that.

No,I will not put myself in a situation like that again. It has been 300 years but HER pain is still all too real.

"Thank you Carol,your escort and company were greatly appreciated. One always prefers a pretty face upon returning home. I think I shall be ok from here - though one never knows what trouble I can get into left to my own devices."

Chuckling,he gave Carol a bow and placed his hand upon the pad.

With a wink, Carol tipped her pretty little head and walked back towards the elevator.

((carol out))

Mathias stretched in the sudden solitude.
Well,if I am to meet Ellis then I must be presentable.he thought.

the shower was warm,and Mathias allowed the water to cascade over him.
Something to be said for the comforts of home I suppose - even if that lake stream was more appropriate for a devout man

Finishing,Mathias toweled off and changed his clothing - gone were the road beated jeans and t shirt,replaced by pressed slacks and polo shirt. While not "fancy", the ensemble was a departure for the normally casual dress he affected.

He took down the broadsword from where it hung on the wall. Grabbing a box nearby and a large leatherbound book,Mathias sat down upon the couch. At the touch of a remote,Pat Green began to play on his speakers and Mathias opened the book to the last page he read.

Awaiting Ellis,the one who gave him purpose again when he was adrift,Mathias began to methodically clean and sharpen his blade.

Ellis popped 2 m&m's into her mouth as she strolled down the hallway to Mathias' quarters. She really hated her no smoking rule. Sometimes the m&m's just weren't enough for addictive needs. She stopped in front of his door and checked the computer panel. He had entered not too long ago, enough time to settle in at least. Popping another m&m into her mouth, she knocked.

Mathias continued his maintenance of the sword while meditating on the proverb he'd just read on the benefits of wisdom.

The barest hint of a familiar scent wafted his way and he put the book and blade down.

Ahh,and there she is...,he thought

The knock confirmed what he already knew - Ellis had arrived.

"Please,enter"

The door slid open for Ellis and she casually walked in. She was wearing leather pants with her thick combat boots and a sheer fitted long sleeve top. It left nothing to the imagination. Her casual wear, so to speak.

'Dear Mathias.' Her boots thunked softly across the floor as she approached him on his couch. Standing in front of him she held her arms out. Her eyes glittered with her hidden madness. It was nice to see an old face. She was enjoying all the returning vampires. Always in spurts, many go, yet they always come back.

'Come give us a hug.'

'Come give us a hug.'

Although he had 3 inches and around 60 pounds on the woman, Ellis always made him feel small - if will was a tangible force she would radiate it. Mathias stood,and gave the Elder a deep heartfelt hug.

Words could not do justice to debt he owed Ellis and Mathias genuinely cared for her,despite their sometimes disparate moral views.

Breaking the hug,he examined the elder. She hadn't changed much since he saw her last,but there seemed to be something 'different' about her.

"You are looking well as always Ellis, how are things treating you?"

She sighed dramatically and smiled. 'Same ole. So many people to kill and just not enough time in the night.' She plopped herself down onto the couch and still managed to make it look graceful. She crossed her legs and nudged him with her boot.

'So, have plans while you're back in town?'

Mathias gave Ellis a half smile before sitting down across from her.

"Plan? Don't have one,beyond getting back out into the night. I have hid for far too long - I am learning redemption is a journey,a road to be walked and not something to be found in hiding"

He chuckled again - Oh how I do go on,he thought to himself.

"My apologies Ellis,you came here to talk,not to recieve a lesson on life. Being in a monastery will do that I suppose! "

Leaning in close,Mathias met Ellis' gaze directly
"Something is afoot Ellis - I may not know the wherefores and whys but I am not some blind whelp fresh from the grave. So the question becomes: What plans do you have for me?"

He leaned back,awaiting Ellis' response